Knot Happening
by JaneDoh
Summary: Fitz and Simmons have dealt with a lot of chaos and heartbreak over the years. And there are new threats on the horizon. Maybe they deserve a reprieve...for a while. Set close to S04E08.
1. Chapter 1

Fitz watched Jemma as she sat on the couch, diligently tapping away at her laptop. Even though they spent most of their waking time in the lab, her obsession for recording her - well, more accurately, _their_ \- findings was fervent, spilling over to their home life as well. At times he felt sorry for her, pouring so much of her time into the projects, as knowledge of their discoveries may be restricted to S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives and not ever be released to the public. But, he surmised, her heart was in it for the science, not the glory.

He couldn't help but smile at how focused she was. Every now and then, she picked up the glass of wine that sat on the coffee table, absently sipping at the burgundy liquid without her attention shifting from the screen before her. And even though he knew how important their work was - not just to them, but for the safety of humanity in general – he also knew that the stress of recent events was taking its toll.

He had to admit he was just as guilty as her at steering his attention into technological pursuits at the expense of a social life. Even though their loyalty to each other was unwavering, Fitz was well aware their disagreements on AIDA were causing a rift. And despite their best efforts, their opposing views were starting to cause an uneasy tension to infuse itself into their relationship.

At times he longed for the innocence of their Academy days, with a world full of discoveries ahead of them and no responsibilities. But as he watched his girlfriend studiously record her work, an image of authority and confidence despite her slightly frazzled appearance, he realised he wouldn't trade their current situation for anything.

Although their positions of power demanded a significant amount of attention, Fitz didn't want it to overshadow the unique connection they shared. He missed the carefree banter and relaxed atmosphere that had slowly been dissipating in the last few months. He had been mulling over an idea for the last couple of weeks, and it was time to test his proposition. He strode over to the back of the couch.

"Jemma." The click of the keys drowned out his voice.

He gently placed a hand on her shoulder, and she jumped at the contact.

"Sorry," she said, rubbing her hands across her eyes, "I was just finishing up adding the results from today."

"Can it wait until tomorrow?"

"Well, I guess so." She turned and looked at him with wide-eyed excitement. "But these findings are just so fascinating. And, besides, I haven't got anything more interesting to do."

Fitz puts his hand over his heart in mock offense. "Really? That hurts, Jemma."

"Oh, don't be like that," she said jovially. She saw the small grin appear on his face, and narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "What?" He slowly walked around to the front of the couch and slid down next to her.

"Well, what if you did have something more interesting to do?" He raised one eyebrow questioningly.

"More interesting than potentially the next great scientific discovery?" she posed in challenge.

"Hmmm," Fitz mused, looking pensive for a moment. He shrugged as though defeated, then said: "I guess I can't compete with that." He added an over emphasised sigh for effect and started to push himself up from the couch.

"Wait," Jemma said, placing her hand on his forearm to halt his retreat. He glanced over at her, and she rolled her eyes. "You could at least _try."_

Fitz grinned inwardly. He knew exploiting her inquisitiveness would win in the end.

"It's nothing that important I guess. It's just that," he paused for effect, seeing her lean closer in anticipation, "we don't have the best track record with dinner at fancy restaurants, so I figured now might be the time to rectify that." He could see Jemma was intrigued, so decided to see if he could hook her totally. "You know, for our anniversary."

"Our anniversary?" Jemma's eyes looked upwards, as though searching her brain for potential dates to which he may be referring.

"Yeah. Of when we met."

"When we _met?_ " Fitz could see the confusion wash over her features. "You mean at orientation for the Academy?"

"I am loathe to define everyone standing in a circle and stating their name in a cringe-worthy attempt at team bonding as the moment we met." He gave her a wry grin. "It was a bit later than that."

Jemma lifted the laptop off her knees and placed it on the coffee table, then tucked her feet underneath her on the couch, twisting so she was facing Fitz more fully. "So, you mean when we were assigned as lab partners? I mean, that was only two weeks into term…it was still summer." She laughed. "You aren't even in the right _season_ , Fitz."

He knew Jemma loved puzzles, and seeing her spark of enthusiasm at the mere act of trying to piece together the riddle made Fitz happy.

"Well, the meeting I am talking about was more recent than that."

Jemma looked baffled by his statement, wracking her brain as to which incident he may be alluding.

"I seem to remember being at the lab at S.H.I.E.L.D., sinking in my chair as this stunning yet anxious creature stood before me. And then she thrust her hand out, all matter-of-fact, and said: I'm Jemma Simmons, biochemist."

Fitz could see the glimmer of recognition in Jemma's eyes as she recalled her attempt to relieve the awkwardness that had plagued them after her return from Maveth.

"And then I stood up," he said, shifting closer on the couch, and slowly edged his fingers towards her until he could clasp her hand in his, "and shook your hand." He gave her hand an almost imperceptible squeeze as he spoke, but it was enough for her to take a deeper breath at the contact. "And then I said: Leopold Fitz, engineering."

Jemma couldn't help a small smile appear at the memory. Fitz tilted his head slightly, mirroring her smile. "And then you smiled. Just like that. And I knew that we were going to be okay."

Jemma blushed at his proclamation; that her gesture had been engrained so deeply in Fitz's memory. She shifted her hand, until her fingers were intertwined with his. Her gaze drifted slightly as she processed the information. Fitz could almost see her doing the math in her head.

"I can't believe it has only been a year. So much has happened since then…so much has… _changed_." She looked around the quaint apartment they now called home and took a deep breath in contemplation. "It feels like a lifetime ago."

"It was our clean slate, Jemma. I remember it as though it was yesterday."

She looked back at Fitz then, and she could see the enormity of that moment reflected in his eyes. He was using that telepathy they shared to tell her how grateful he was that she had had the courage to give them a chance. She could almost _feel_ the loyalty and admiration and respect that had been there for years, but had been suppressed for so long due to circumstance. She hoped he understood that she was just as grateful; that when they had stood at that crossroad, he had also had the courage to take the path with her.

She dropped his hand, opting to put it to better use by cupping his face as she moved closer. Although they were only a few inches apart, it felt like a chasm between them, and Fitz couldn't wait for her to bridge the gap, shifting forward to meet her half way. They had shared many kisses since they had finally crossed the event horizon, yet Fitz was constantly amazed at just how profoundly she affected him. He often wondered how high his dopamine and oxytocin levels soared when she kissed him with such ardour.

Jemma revelled in the sensation of Fitz's hand sliding behind her neck, the fine hairs standing on end as his fingers curled against the base of her skull. He pulled at her gently, just the right balance of eagerness and tenderness in his actions. Their mouths worked in unison, moving against each other with natural ease. She wasn't quite sure how he did it, but he was always able to convey his unwavering devotion in his kiss alone.

Jemma pulled back a fraction, her lungs now craving oxygen as much as her soul craved the man before her. She opened her eyes, her sincerity reflected back when she gazed at Fitz, and she could barely hear their breaths above the rush of her pulse in her ears.

"So…" Fitz said as he raised his eyebrows, "is that a yes?"

Jemma beamed at him. "Of course." She leant forward again, giving him one last, lingering kiss before moving back slightly. "But if the team at work ask, you'll have to come up with something else." She could see his confusion, and couldn't help but roll her eyes at having to elaborate. "I mean, you can't say it's the anniversary of when we met _last year._ They'll think you're daft." She nudged his forearm with her elbow before adding with a smile: "Well, more daft than usual."

Fitz tried to give her his best deadpan look. "I can't believe you are trying to call me out on a technicality."


	2. Chapter 2

"I hate to bow to stereotypes, but shouldn't you be ready before me?" Jemma leaned against the doorframe of the bedroom, a playful grin on her face. However, Fitz was too preoccupied to notice, fiddling with the half-done tie around his neck as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Aye, I was dressed ages ago." He huffed in frustration. "But I have been buggering around trying to do this fancy knot." He pointed at the laptop that sat on the dresser, displaying instructions on how to do an Eldredge knot.

"Wow, very swanky," Jemma said as she looked at the complicated loop of material on the screen.

He stared at the mirror and rubbed at his ear self-consciously before continuing. "It's just that, whenever we get the chance to go out, you always look so…" he turned towards her as he spoke, his face softening when he saw her silhouetted in the doorway, "…stunning."

Jemma felt her heart beat a little faster at the way he looked at her with such reverence, feeling undeserving of such praise. She felt so comfortable with Fitz that she had never felt the need to spend hours getting ready before they had any outings. She wore a pleated, dark purple cocktail dress and had barely put on any make-up. She had her hair tied up loosely, and had tried to contain some of the small curls that fell from the hairband with bobby pins, but some still managed to escape, framing her face.

His brow crinkled slightly, as though he was an unworthy peasant gazing at a goddess, and he looked back at the mirror despondently. "And I just look like I have finished a shift at work." He hastily grabbed at the tie, pulling until the loops came undone. "I just wanted to look…" he gesticulated aimlessly but it did little to help him find the right word, "…different."

He looked sideways at Jemma. "Sorry, you know science is my forte, not the English language. I just meant: I wanted to put in some effort, so you realise how important you are to me."

"Oh, Fitz." She pushed off the doorway and took a few steps into the room. "You know you look good to me wearing _anything_." _Or not wearing anything_ she thought, but didn't verbalise. He scoffed in disbelief. "You do!" she said adamantly.

She walked over to the dresser, taking a closer look at the instructions. "This actually does look pretty complicated. And you are trying to do it looking in the mirror so it is all backwards." She turned to Fitz, giving him a sympathetic stare. "I can see why it is taking a while."

Fitz laughed at the stupidity of the situation. "I have bloody three semesters training in holographic engineering." He jerked his thumb at the offending material hanging from his neck. "I _literally_ got tested on my visual-spatial ability, and I can't even tie a simple knot."

"I wouldn't call it a _simple_ knot." She peered more closely at the screen. "I mean, it _is_ fifteen steps."

"Wait, are you taking the piss?"

"No, honestly," Jemma said sincerely, "it looks difficult."

Fitz peered at her suspiciously, not entirely sure she wasn't mocking him.

"Give me a try." Jemma closed the gap between them, bending down slightly until she clasped each end of the tie.

She alternated between glancing at the laptop, and the silken material around Fitz's neck. Her fingers worked deftly, twisting and looping the tie as she tried to copy the pictures on the screen. Fitz tried watching her hands, but he got distracted by the way she bit her bottom lip in concentration, and at the small furrow that appeared at her brow each time she attempted the next step.

A small sigh escaped her mouth and she pulled the tie loose again. Fitz wanted to comment that her pout was adorable, but he didn't want to risk a scathing glare for being condescending. And he had to admit he was quite enjoying seeing her struggle as much as he had. She attempted several steps before halting.

"Bloody hell," Jemma said, standing back up and placing her hands on her hips. "That's still not right." She pinched at the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Back in a jiffy."

Fitz waited a few seconds after she had left the room before tugging at the loops and pulling the tie free again. A scientist and an engineer with an uncompleted task was not a good recipe to make it to a reservation on time.

He had managed the first two steps when Jemma returned with the glass of wine she had started earlier in the night, sipping the dark liquid as she walked closer to where he sat.

"I don't think alcohol is going to enhance your dexterity," he said dryly, then poked at one of the loops.

She took another gulp before placing the glass on the bedside table, then swatted his hand away. "Don't touch, I'll get it this time." She looked back at the picture, then leant over him and began the routine again. She managed the first few steps before pausing.

She sighed and placed her hands on her lower back as she straightened, stretching her muscles. "Argh, my weak back is not really amenable with standing at this angle. Shuffle back a bit."

Fitz hesitated for a few seconds, then complied, moving back several inches. Jemma tugged at her dress until the hem lifted, then placed her knees on either side of Fitz's hips, before settling down in his lap. The pleats gave her plenty of room to move.

 _Top marks for practicality, Jemma,_ Fitz thought, grinning at his girlfriend as she grabbed each end of the tie.

"Much more comfortable," Jemma surmised.

Fitz cleared his throat. "That's one word for it."

She smiled in response then returned her attention to the laptop, peering at it critically for a few moments. When she turned back to continue her task, her actions seemed to be more confident. Fitz had his hands braced on either side of him, alternating between watching Jemma, and the progress she was making.

This time, she didn't seem to miss a beat.

"I take it back. The alcohol seems to have improved your skill."

"Clearly that is the logical conclusion. Not the fact that I have learnt from my previous attempts." She gave him a playful wink. Fitz couldn't recall ever seeing Jemma wink. And certainly not at him. He committed it to memory, alongside the nose scrunch she used to tell him he'd be fine, or the worried brow that meant be careful.

He tried to ignore the feel of her lower body pressed so closely against his, fairly certain that if he dwelled on those sensations for too long, the way she affected him would become embarrassingly obvious very quickly. However, the slight shift each time she turned back to the computer was not helping the situation.

"Done." Jemma placed one arm on his shoulder so she could lean back slightly to inspect her handiwork. Fitz glanced down briefly.

Perfect.

Of course it was.

He looked back at Jemma, enamoured at how she still fussed slightly. She made tiny adjustments with her free hand, smoothing the tail out as her fingers ran down the length of his chest. "How does it feel?"

Fitz didn't look down again, his attention solely focused on the woman a few inches from him, and the warmth of her hand permeating through his shirt.

"Good, yeah. Fine." There was the slightest inflection in his voice. Fitz could feel the heat emanating from his collar. "Just…ahhh, maybe it is a bit tight?"

How was it that after all these years, she could still turn him into a bumbling fool? He hooked a finger under his collar, in a vain attempt at letting some of the heat escape. "I'm just a bit hot."

Her head remained tilted downwards, but she looked up at him through her lashes. "Yeah," she agreed, "you are."

A grin appeared on Jemma's face for the briefest moment, before her look merged into something more sincere. Fitz felt her hand slide up his shoulder until it caressed the back of his neck as her attention shifted focus from his eyes to his lips. His tongue ran over his bottom lip involuntarily as he gazed at her.

And then she was leaning towards him, torturously slowly as her fingers pulled them closer together. He tried memorising her features, his eyes darting from her inviting lips, to dusty pink cheeks, and her downcast eyelashes until, finally, her lips were against his; soft and warm and tasting of wine.

He closed his eyes, his body hyper-aware of each point of contact between their bodies. He could distinctly feel each finger that probed into the muscles at the back of his neck, her thighs encasing his and the nails that scraped against his chest where Jemma was pulling possessively at his tie, as though he would ever dare to pull back. But most of all, he felt her lips, pressing tenderly against his.

It took a moment for his brain to process his senses being bombarded, reminding him that he was actually an active member of this dalliance. He pushed off from where his hands were braced on the bed, snaking them behind Jemma's back until one supported her between her shoulder blades as the other came to rest at the small of her back.

The shift in position left Fitz leaning forward ever so slightly, and he could feel the trust in Jemma's demeanour, in the way she relaxed into the embrace. It was as though that minute change was enough to allow her to concentrate more thoroughly on kissing him, opening her mouth until her tongue grazed over his bottom lip. He mirrored her actions, opening his mouth more fully as desire flooded his senses.

Having faith that Fitz wouldn't let her fall, Jemma deepened the kiss, immersing herself in the moment. She toyed with the tie, savouring the feel of his lightly stubbled jaw grazing the back of her fingers as she loosened it slightly. When she shifted in his lap, she could feel the minute groan that tried to escape his mouth. A small grin of satisfaction appeared, and she wondered if he could feel the curl of her lips as he kissed her. The tension in his thighs indicated that his resolve was close to abandoning him, but that thought spurred her on even more. She became more insistent, her tongue rolling against Fitz's, and he returned the action with equal fervour, the intensity making her lightheaded. If he was her partner in a shared delirium, she was happy to partake.

Just when Fitz thought his body was going to explode from sheer overload of sensation, Jemma pulled back slightly, her breaths coming in short bursts. She let go of the tie and moved her hands until her fingers laced themselves at the nape of his neck.

"Okay, your turn," she said.

Fitz was still slightly dazed, his hormones in overdrive, hampering coherent thoughts.

"Huh?" he said, unable to come up with anything more eloquent.

"You're never going to learn if you let me do everything for you."

Fitz looked down to see the knot in disarray. He looked back up at Jemma in disbelief, as though she had just performed some outlandish trick. He had been so overwhelmed by the feel of her moving against him, that he hadn't even realised she had managed to undo the tie.

He shook his head slightly at her mirthful grin. "You do realise that we will be late for our reservation?"

"Hmm." Jemma looked thoughtful for a moment, and he thought she was about to see reason. But then she slid her hands down his shoulders, running her palms against his chest before gathering each end of the tie in her hands. She clenched the material, using it to pull Fitz closer until her lips just grazed his ear. "You know what?" she asked, her warm breath dancing over his earlobe. "I can think of other ways to celebrate our anniversary."


End file.
